Investigating officer:
RSPCA Inspector
Nayman Dunderdale
Defendants:
Male 65, factory worker;
female 63, retired
Offences:
Animal Welfare Act 2006 s4
and s9
Pleas:
Guilty
Total convictions:
10
Sentence:
Both disqualified from keeping
equines for life; deprivation
order in respect of five
remaining equines; £500 costs.
Male received 60 hours' unpaid
work. Female received a 14-day
curfew order.
Prosecuted by:
Pickering & Butters Solicitors
Investigating officer:
RSPCA Inspector
Kirsty Withnall
Defendant:
Male 53, director
Offence:
Wildlife and Countryside Act
1981 s11
Outcome:
Formal non-statutory caution
SHROPSHIRE
PERSONS
CONVICTED 13
TOTAL
CONVICTIONS 35
OXFORDSHIRE
PERSONS
CONVICTED 1
TOTAL
CONVICTIONS 2 ShropshireA woman who trimmed the hooves of her five
ponies herself, claiming that farriers were too
expensive, admitted she had not done so for a year.
RSPCA Inspector Nayman
Dunderdale found a cob mare,
clearly struggling to walk, and
two Shetland ponies with severely
overgrown hooves. The ponies'
enclosure contained hazards
such as broken barbed wire, pig
netting and a stack of old gates.
The water supply contained green
algae and parts of the fencing
were leaning or collapsed.
The pasture was lush and grew
unchecked, exacerbating the
ponies' laminitis.
A farrier trimmed the ponies'
hooves, however one continued
to struggle to stand despite
further pain relief. The vet decided
it would be in her best interests
to be euthanased. Sadly one of
the Shetlands, a brown mare,
developed colic and also had to be
euthanased on welfare grounds.
The court heard the woman and
her husband had far too many
animals and far too few resources.
The three surviving Shetlands
were successfully rehomed.
OxfordshireA man set snares in his garden to catch foxes
and muntjac deer, because he believed they were
damaging trees in his orchard.
However, he failed to inspect
the snares on a daily basis, as is
required by law.
A neighbour's cat, Hector, was
found trapped in the snare; he
was badly injured and was lucky to
survive. The following day another
neighbouring cat went missing and
was eventually found in another
snare - luckily uninjured.
RSPCA Inspector Kristy Withnall
investigated and found two
free-running snares in the man's
garden, which were fixed securely
to the ground with stakes.
The man was very remorseful and
paid for the veterinary treatment
Hector required. He was warned
that it is an offence to snare
deer. He told Inspector Withnall
that he would not use snares
again, and the matter was dealt
with by the issuing of a caution,
which he accepted.
30PROSECUTIONS
Annual report OUR FRONTLINE WORK
2014